MANILA, Philippines — The bulk of vaccines against the coronavirus disease will likely be available in the country by the end of 2021 or early 2022, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Monday.
He said that a vaccine against COVID-19 will be available in the market by May or July 2021 but the bulk of supply will not be available until the end of 2021, at the earliest.
Supply is a challenge since rich countries have already secured access to most COVID-19 vaccines in advance.
“Realistically speaking, baka [could be] end of the year [2021] or 2022 dadating ang [the arrival of] main bulk ng vaccine,” Galvez said in an online media forum.
“Kasi talagang nakita natin, mayroon tayong kakulangan sa supply dahil ang mga mayayamang country ay kinuha na ‘yung karamihan o majority ng production,” he added.
(Because we really see that there is a lack in supply because the rich nations already secured majority of the production.)
It will also take at least six months for the planning and preparation for the implementation of a COVID-19 vaccination, Galvez said.
The Philippine government is in talks with 17 drug makers from 10 countries for access to their COVID-19 vaccine, he said.
The country is likewise part of the COVAX Facility which is a mechanism designed to guarantee rapid, fair, and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines worldwide.
Galvez said the Philippine government is eyeing to buy at least 50-million doses of COVID-19 shots from different countries developing the vaccine.
This will be given to 25 million Filipinos in 2021, he added.